Textile machine



24, 1955 G. LIEBRANDT ETAL 3,201,956

TEXTILE MACHINE Filed Oct. 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2

24, 1965 G. LIEBRANDT ETAL 3,201,956

TEXTILE MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 20, 1961 Fig.4

United States Patent 2 Claims. 6!. 66125) The present invention relates to textile machines, specifically to knitting machines, particularly to Raschel machines.

In the production of fabrics with varying yarn consumption, e.g., Jacquard structures, the threads have to be drawn off individual bobbins. If the thread is worked directly, as is the case with Raschel machines, the drawing speed is restricted to low values, and the thread tends to stick and is subjected to undesired increase of tension. Therefore, during the time the thread is supplied from the bobbin, there exists an undesired pull on the knitting tools which causes faults in the finished fabric.

It is therefore, an object of our invention to improve the operation of textile machines for the production of structured fabrics.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide simple means for preventing variations of thread tension. According to a main feature of the invention, we provide thread checking means to prevent any pull, directed opposite to the thread running direction, to be exerted on the thread consuming tools or elements. Further, We provide means for intermittently storing a portion of thread between the checking means and the bobbins or the beam.

The storage of yarn may be effected by thread feeders adapted to draw thread off the bobbin at increased speed. The storage is timed with the operating of the machine, i.e., it is performed during the time intervals when there is no thread consumption by the knitting elements. The thread feeder may consist of a frame provided with tensioned strings or wires arranged transversely in spaced relationship and adapted to deflect each thread from its running direction, this being effected by reciprocating the frame, e.g., up and down.

During the storage time the thread check or restraining means is operative, which acts in a single direction and thus only permits the drawing-off from the bobbin. We prefer to use a friction brake acting on the thread roller. The brake is intermittently lifted by the thread, wound one or more times around the roller, while moving in the running direction. A brake disk is rigidly connected with the roller and checked by a two-armed spring, one arm being adjustable for control of the braking force, the other arm acting on the disk. The spring is fastened to a pivotally mounted supporting frame which is raised by the running thread for termination of the braking action.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a part of a creel with the thread checking and storing means according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a front view of a thread feeding frame,

FIGS. 3 and 4 show details of the thread checking means seen from the side and from above.

Referring to FIG. 1, a part of a creel is shown comprising a number of bobbins 1. The threads 2 are passed from the bobbins 1 through deflecting members 3 and 8 and thread brakes 5 to the set of knitting needles con- 3,2l,956 Patented Aug. 24, 1965 sisting of holed elements 29 and hooked elements 28. The feeding frame 6 is arranged between members 3 and 8.

The thread brakes 5 prevent thread pulls directed opposite to the running direction indicated by the arrow 7. Thus, the thread cannot exert any undesired pull on the knitting needles.

As can best be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the threads 2 pass through deflecting members, shown as eyelets 8 in the creel frame 9, into the thread brakes 5 mounted on the frame by supports 16. Each brake is provided with four nozzles 11, 12, 13, 14, of which the nozzles 11 and 13 may be swung over for setting a predetermined tension. For drawing-in of the threads the nozzles are swung back into the position shown. The thread 2 is wound one or more times around the roller 15 rigidly connected with a braking disk 16, on which is acting a braking spring comprising two arms 17 and 18-. The spring is mounted on the frame 9 by a screw bolt 19. Its braking pressure is adjustable by means of a set screw 21 and a nut 21. Braking is effected by friction of the spring arm 17 on the disk 16. The spring arm 17 rests on a lever 22 pivotally mounted on the screw bolt 19. An eyelet 23 is provided on the end of lever 22 for guiding the thread to the knitting elements.

In operation, if thread is consumed by the knitting elements, the eyelet 23 and the lever 22 are raised and thus the arm 17 of the braking spring is lifted from the braking disk 16. Therefore, as long as the thread is moving in the normal running direction, the brake is ineffective. However, the thread is securely checked whenever it is tensioned opposite to the running direction. and hence no undesired pull will be exerted on the knitting elements.

The feeding frame 6, shown in detail in FIG. 2, is arranged between the bobbins 1 and the brake 5, more precisely between the members 3 and 4. It is moved up and down by a cord 25 passing over a roller 24, and an eccentric roller 27 driven by suitable gearing means, not shown, from the main drive. In the frame 6 are arranged, transversely to the threads, tensioned strings or wires 26, one wire being provided for each thread 2. During the downstroke of the frame, the thread is drawn off the bobbin with increased speed and stored between the members 3 and 4. In the same time the brake 5 is effective and prevents a pull on the knitting elements. Due to this unidirectional effect of the brake, only drawing-oif is admitted. During the thread storage, there is no thread consumption by the knitting elements.

From the foregoing description of a typical embodiment, it can be seen that we have improved the operation of textile machines by preventing undesired tension variations and thus the formation of faults in the fabric. It is to be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from its scope set forth in the claims.

We claim:

1. A textile machine comprising a number of bobbins, an equal number of sets of knitting elements, an equal number of individual uni-directional thread brakes, the thread from a respective bobbin having an appertaining one of said brakes means for supplying threads drawn off said bobbins through said respective thread brakes to respective sets of said knitting elements, a feeding frame arranged between said bobbins and said brakes, said frame being provided with tensioned wire means, one of said wire means being allotted to each thread for deflection of the thread from the running direction thereof and for storage of thread between said bobbins and said brakes, and means for reciprocating said feeding frame in timed relationship to the operation of the machine.

2. A textile machine of the type having varying thread consumption, comprising a number of thread supply bobbins, an equal number of sets of knitting elements, thread from respective: ones of saidsupply'bobbin's normally travelling in a predetermined supply direction toward a braking device having restraining means movable into thread checking and thread releasing conditions to prevent its respective thread from reversing its normal travel in said supply direction when said restraining means is'in said checking condition, thread storing and feeding means 7 for intermittently producing a thread storage loop in each respective thread at alocation between its corresponding bobbin and its correspondingbraking-device,-

the braking device of said respective thread beingtlocated between said set of knitting elements andsaid storing'and feeding means, and means operable by movement of said respective set of said knittingelements for moving said restraining means from said checking condition into said releasingcondition'during periods of thread consumption by said respective set of knitting elements.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 668,070 2/01 Van Patten etal 242--155 1,857,835 5/32 Bedwell "242155 2,022, 34 12/35' Welch etal 66132 2,049,755 8/36 'Wachsman 66146 2,236,994 4/41. Deri et a1. 6685 2,642,236 6/53 Hei'zer 242-155 2,714,494 8/55 Wentz ..Q. 242- 155 2,817,367" 12/57 'Pfarrwaller 139--125 3/62 Megens et al. 242155' RUSSELL c, MADER, Primafiy Examiner. 

1. A TEXTILE MACHINE COMPRISING A NUMBER OF BOBBINS, AN EQUAL NUMBER OF SETS OF KNITTING ELEMENTS, AN EQUAL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL UNI-DIRECTIONAL THREAD BRAKES, THE THREAD FROM A RESPECTIVE BOBBIN HAVING AN APPERTAINING ONE OF SAID BRAKES MEANS FOR SUPPLING THREADS DRAWN OFF SAID BOBBINS THROUGH SAID RESPECTIVE THREAD BRAKES TO RESPECTIVE SETS OF SAID KNITTING ELEMENTS, A FEEDING FRAME ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID BOBBINS AND SAID BRAKES, SAID FRAME BEING PROVIDED WITH TENSIONED WIRE MEANS, ONE OF SAID WIRE MEANS BEING ALLOTTED TO EACH THREAD FOR DEFLECTION OF THE THREAD FROM THE RUNNING DIRECTION THEREOF AND FOR STORAGE OF THREAD BETWEEN SAID BOBBINS AND SAID BRAKES, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID FEEDING FRAME IN TIMED RELATIONSHIP TO THE OPERATION OF THE MACHINE. 